River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-10-27

sal y iAiii4 urf foF N@cs Out IL l. SIMPLY
f..shioa. and he doesn't expect any
body To take him Ia earnest. Aud
say further that there is no English.
Scotch. German or American sailing
ship ahOat to-day in which the captain
cares two cents for the life Of fore
mast hand The mates are born bull
lies. ready 10 knock Il man down on
the slightest prOvOcatiOn. and they
will make the provOcaiion themselves.
Jack may be- cut. and bruised. and ILL.,
but IL is only when he "a l. helpless
that hc il permitted to leave his watch
He is not supposed to have any more
feelings than an OK. and it would seem
as IL the aim II mot officers was TO
make him forget his manhood. The
ditch diggers in any country live bet
ter than the average sailors. Jacks
hours are longer than any working
man :. his pay less. and there isn't
day from the time the voyage is begun
until il ends that his life is not in
peril Aud. 10 cap the climax. he is
= man TO put up with every thing.
lie expects poor grub. plenty OF
sbuse. a grea, deal of dirty weather,
/ and a close shave for his life about
once in so often. He will stand more
bulldOzing than a black slave. aud
more abuse than an OK. Mutiny at sea
is rare occurrence. The American
marine does not average ono in FIVE
years This isn't because the provoca-
ton is lacking. for that exists on
almost every ship every day. but be-
cause Jack Is willing to bear TO the
last moment before he turns. In my
time have known sailors to cut their
threats. hang themselves. or leap
overheard 10 end their wretched lives
made wreicheI and unbearahlc by
bullying mate. A soldier would have
shot down his officer in such cases. A
slave would have run away.
We were not out of sight of the
coast before it was found that both
mates were bali;es. the captain 4
tyrani, and our grub the poorest which
could be purchased for ship The
crew were far above the average in
point of looks and SeamanShip. As
we were mus cred to be divided into
watches was surprised to note the
bearing Of the men. Ii was just such
crew As captain could feel confidence
in during long and pcrilOus voyage.
II there was a shirk among the lot, his
Looks did not bstray him. When we
were divided off fell to the captains
watch. which IS in reality the
second mste's watch. and
found two more Americans with
NICHOLSON and Green. They
were able seamcl of middle age. and
there was but ono younger man than /
in either wat oh. In the first six hours
of oar being afoat / saw four men
knocked down 10y the mates without
prOvOcation enough 90 have called out
a rebuke from some officers while the
captain. who was evidently hard
driEker. cxhibi cl his temper in vari-
Gus ways. L. il usual for the captain
OF a ship 20 make a little speech to the
men when the watches are divided.
Il j. DE- Ie not 10 encourage. but To in-
timidatc. /, is to further show Jack
ina; he has no moral or legal rights
whatever. and that If he isn't Drained
next day wi II Delaying lin. il Is be-
cause his officers are willing to over
lonk and conlOne his hcinous offenscs.
When our watches were called Captain
Milky stepped forward and said:
Il have been looking you over YOU
dirty scum Of tho docks. and / find
there isn't a sailor among You
wouldn't have shipped such gang OF
soj:rs for mud scow. You have come
aboard Unlcr false pre;enses. ealcu-
laiinS to feast on pic and cake and
have trip for your health. Look out
for me. you cursed riff-raff. I'll make
some of yOl wish you hal never been
bora before this voyage Is over.
That was his speech as one Of the
sailors wrote IL down. and that was
the cue the mates were TO take. When
the off watch went below the men re-
marked TO each other tina; il looked rs
if We had sigucl articles with bad
man. but there was no criticism.
When supper was served we found the
beef outrageous. The smell OF il was
sufficient to turn sailors stomach.
ard Won eau imagine that il must have
been pretty high. The tea could
never have seen the inside OF chest
doubt If il was any thing more than
The leaves of trees and shrubs. The
ship biscui; had better been called
ship grubs. There was more worm
than biscuit in each ease. and "a hun
gry a. we were not man made pre-
tense of eating. I, is the rule of every
ship that Jack may como aft with his
complaint He was expec:ed IL In
this case. The captain was on deck
when he should have been below. He
lookcl for a kick against the provis-
ions. and he proposed 10 shut the
grumblcrs right mp. After a fore
castle conference il was dccid ed TO ap-
peal to the captain. Not man Of
either watch could touch the provis-
ions. An oldish man. who was
thorough sailor. very intelligent. and
the las; 90 find fault. was selected as
spokesman. and he put sose
Of the provisions in kid,
and We followed him to the MAIN
mast. A. told you. it was evident
the captain anl mates Looked for
protest, for all wero on deck. The
nanie Of our spokesman was Herbert,
and he was English born. The cap
tain came forward 90 meet US Is we
grouped around Herbert with hats of.
and after looking IA over he shouted
ont:
well. blame your eyes. why don't
you sPcak mp What is wanted of
me?''
If you please. sir. said Herbert,
''wr cant eat the sruh
'Oh. YOU can't! You arc probably
disappointed You expected oyster
soup Java coffee. hot biscuit, and
honey. aud youg stomachs have gone
back on you "
Your honor. bnt will you please
smell of this beef" asked Herbert.
advancing Il sep.
''SucIl Of tho beef. you hounds.
YOU" howlrl the captain. Did the
own,rs engage me Ia sail the ship or
- smell of the fCrccasilc beef? |
sized yon up on the start for lot of
skulkinc sOicrs. and here's proof that
I was righ-. You are lot Of GUS,
muiiGouS dogs. ana now = the time TO